William Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Sogno d’una notte d’estate (Traducción) Le Songe d’une Nuit d’Été (Traducción) Sueño en noche de verbena (Traducción)

Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. [online] Edited by Barbara Mowat and Paul Werstine. Digital text editors: Michael Poston, and Rebecca Niles. Washington D.C.: Folger Shakespeare Library. [Accessed 14 November 2017] Folger Digital Texts. www.folgerdigitaltexts.org

Joan Oleza Simó (Investigador principal) Bodí García, Alba (Editor)

English · Verso · 466 versos

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License

https://playcode.fly.dev/plays/EMOTHE0474_AMidsummerNightsDream

Tiempo histórico: Siglo XVII

Note on this digital edition

Reproduced with kind permission by Folger Shakespeare Library. Folger Digital Texts and their source code are available at no cost for online reading and download, for noncommercial purposes only, under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. For this digital edition, overflowing or “turn under” verse lines in the Folger Digital Text have been reassembled onto the same verse line, and their line numbering has been reset accordingly.

Characters in the Play

HERMIA }

LYSANDER }

HELENA }

DEMETRIUS } Four lovers

THESEUS duke of Athens

ALL

HIPPOLYTA queen of the Amazons

EGEUS father to HERMIA

PHILOSTRATE master of the revels to Theseus

NICK BOTTOM weaver

PETER QUINCE carpenter

FRANCIS FLUTE bellows-mender

TOM SNOUT tinker

SNUG joiner

ROBIN STARVELING tailor

OBERON king of the Fairies

TITANIA queen of the Fairies

ROBIN GOODFELLOW a “puck,” or hobgoblin, in Oberon’s service

A Fairy in the service of Titania

PEASEBLOSSOM }

COBWEB }

MOTE }

MUSTARDSEED } Fairies attending upon Titania

Lords and Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta

Other Fairies in the trains of Titania and Oberon

ALL_2

ALL_3

⸢ACT 1⸣

⸢Scene 1⸣

(Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, ⸢and Philostrate,⸣ with others.)

THESEUS

Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour 1

Draws on apace. Four happy days bring in 2

Another moon. But, O, methinks how slow 3

This old moon ⸢wanes!⸣ She lingers my desires 4

Like to a stepdame or a dowager 5

Long withering out a young man’s revenue. 6

HIPPOLYTA

Four days will quickly steep themselves in night; 7

Four nights will quickly dream away the time; 8

And then the moon, like to a silver bow 9

⸢New⸣-bent in heaven, shall behold the night 10

Of our solemnities. 11

THESEUS

Go, Philostrate, 12

Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments. 13

Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth. 14

Turn melancholy forth to funerals; 15

The pale companion is not for our pomp. 16

(⸢Philostrate exits.⸣)

Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword 17

And won thy love doing thee injuries, 18

But I will wed thee in another key, 19

With pomp, with triumph, and with reveling. 20

(Enter Egeus and his daughter Hermia, and Lysander and Demetrius.)

EGEUS

Happy be Theseus, our renownèd duke! 21

THESEUS

Thanks, good Egeus. What’s the news with thee? 22

EGEUS

Full of vexation come I, with complaint 23

Against my child, my daughter Hermia.— 24

Stand forth, Demetrius.—My noble lord, 25

This man hath my consent to marry her.— 26

Stand forth, Lysander.—And, my gracious duke, 27

This man hath bewitched the bosom of my child.— 28

Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes 29

And interchanged love tokens with my child. 30

Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung 31

With feigning voice verses of feigning love 32

And stol’n the impression of her fantasy 33

With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gauds, conceits, 34

Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats—messengers 35

Of strong prevailment in unhardened youth. 36

With cunning hast thou filched my daughter’s heart, 37

Turned her obedience (which is due to me) 38

To stubborn harshness.—And, my gracious duke, 39

Be it so she will not here before your Grace 40

Consent to marry with Demetrius, 41

I beg the ancient privilege of Athens: 42

As she is mine, I may dispose of her, 43

Which shall be either to this gentleman 44

Or to her death, according to our law 45

Immediately provided in that case. 46

THESEUS

What say you, Hermia? Be advised, fair maid. 47

To you, your father should be as a god, 48

One that composed your beauties, yea, and one 49

To whom you are but as a form in wax 50

By him imprinted, and within his power 51

To leave the figure or disfigure it. 52

Demetrius is a worthy gentleman. 53

HERMIA

So is Lysander. 54

THESEUS

In himself he is,

But in this kind, wanting your father’s voice, 55

The other must be held the worthier. 56

HERMIA

I would my father looked but with my eyes. 57

THESEUS

Rather your eyes must with his judgment look. 58

HERMIA

I do entreat your Grace to pardon me. 59

I know not by what power I am made bold, 60

Nor how it may concern my modesty 61

In such a presence here to plead my thoughts; 62

But I beseech your Grace that I may know 63

The worst that may befall me in this case 64

If I refuse to wed Demetrius. 65

THESEUS

Either to die the death or to abjure 66

Forever the society of men. 67

Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, 68

Know of your youth, examine well your blood, 69

Whether (if you yield not to your father’s choice) 70

You can endure the livery of a nun, 71

For aye to be in shady cloister mewed, 72

To live a barren sister all your life, 73

Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. 74

Thrice-blessèd they that master so their blood 75

To undergo such maiden pilgrimage, 76

But earthlier happy is the rose distilled 77

Than that which, withering on the virgin thorn, 78

Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness. 79

HERMIA

So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, 80

Ere I will yield my virgin patent up 81

Unto his Lordship whose unwishèd yoke 82

My soul consents not to give sovereignty. 83

THESEUS

Take time to pause, and by the next new moon 84

(The sealing day betwixt my love and me 85

For everlasting bond of fellowship), 86

Upon that day either prepare to die 87

For disobedience to your father’s will, 88

Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would, 89

Or on Diana’s altar to protest 90

For aye austerity and single life. 91

DEMETRIUS

Relent, sweet Hermia, and, Lysander, yield 92

Thy crazèd title to my certain right. 93

LYSANDER

You have her father’s love, Demetrius. 94

Let me have Hermia’s. Do you marry him. 95

EGEUS

Scornful Lysander, true, he hath my love; 96

And what is mine my love shall render him. 97

And she is mine, and all my right of her 98

I do estate unto Demetrius. 99

LYSANDER

⸢to Theseus⸣ I am, my lord, as well derived as he, 100

As well possessed. My love is more than his; 101

My fortunes every way as fairly ranked 102

(If not with vantage) as Demetrius’; 103

And (which is more than all these boasts can be) 104

I am beloved of beauteous Hermia. 105

Why should not I then prosecute my right? 106

Demetrius, I’ll avouch it to his head, 107

Made love to Nedar’s daughter, Helena, 108

And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes, 109

Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry, 110

Upon this spotted and inconstant man. 111

THESEUS

I must confess that I have heard so much, 112

And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof; 113

But, being overfull of self-affairs, 114

My mind did lose it.—But, Demetrius, come, 115

And come, Egeus; you shall go with me. 116

I have some private schooling for you both.— 117

For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself 118

To fit your fancies to your father’s will, 119

Or else the law of Athens yields you up 120

(Which by no means we may extenuate) 121

To death or to a vow of single life.— 122

Come, my Hippolyta. What cheer, my love?— 123

Demetrius and Egeus, go along. 124

I must employ you in some business 125

Against our nuptial and confer with you 126

Of something nearly that concerns yourselves. 127

EGEUS

With duty and desire we follow you. 128

(⸢All but Hermia and Lysander⸣ exit.)

LYSANDER

How now, my love? Why is your cheek so pale? 129

How chance the roses there do fade so fast? 130

HERMIA

Belike for want of rain, which I could well 131

Beteem them from the tempest of my eyes. 132

LYSANDER

Ay me! For aught that I could ever read, 133

Could ever hear by tale or history, 134

The course of true love never did run smooth. 135

But either it was different in blood— 136

HERMIA

O cross! Too high to be enthralled to ⸢low⸣. 137

LYSANDER

Or else misgraffèd in respect of years— 138

HERMIA

O spite! Too old to be engaged to young. 139

LYSANDER

Or else it stood upon the choice of friends— 140

HERMIA

O hell, to choose love by another’s eyes! 141

LYSANDER

Or, if there were a sympathy in choice, 142

War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it, 143

Making it momentany as a sound, 144

Swift as a shadow, short as any dream, 145

Brief as the lightning in the collied night, 146

That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and Earth, 147

And, ere a man hath power to say “Behold!” 148

The jaws of darkness do devour it up. 149

So quick bright things come to confusion. 150

HERMIA

If then true lovers have been ever crossed, 151

It stands as an edict in destiny. 152

Then let us teach our trial patience 153

Because it is a customary cross, 154

As due to love as thoughts and dreams and sighs, 155

Wishes and tears, poor fancy’s followers. 156

LYSANDER

A good persuasion. Therefore, hear me, Hermia: 157

I have a widow aunt, a dowager 158

Of great revenue, and she hath no child. 159

From Athens is her house remote seven leagues, 160

And she respects me as her only son. 161

There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee; 162

And to that place the sharp Athenian law 163

Cannot pursue us. If thou lovest me, then 164

Steal forth thy father’s house tomorrow night, 165

And in the wood a league without the town 166

(Where I did meet thee once with Helena 167

To do observance to a morn of May), 168

There will I stay for thee. 169

HERMIA

My good Lysander,

I swear to thee by Cupid’s strongest bow, 170

By his best arrow with the golden head, 171

By the simplicity of Venus’ doves, 172

By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves, 173

And by that fire which burned the Carthage queen 174

When the false Trojan under sail was seen, 175

By all the vows that ever men have broke 176

(In number more than ever women spoke), 177

In that same place thou hast appointed me, 178

Tomorrow truly will I meet with thee. 179

LYSANDER

Keep promise, love. Look, here comes Helena. 180

(Enter Helena.)

HERMIA

Godspeed, fair Helena. Whither away? 181

HELENA

Call you me “fair”? That “fair” again unsay. 182

Demetrius loves your fair. O happy fair! 183

Your eyes are lodestars and your tongue’s sweet air 184

More tunable than lark to shepherd’s ear 185

When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear. 186

Sickness is catching. O, were favor so! 187

⸢Yours would⸣ I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go. 188

My ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye; 189

My tongue should catch your tongue’s sweet melody. 190

Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, 191

The rest ⸢I’d⸣ give to be to you translated. 192

O, teach me how you look and with what art 193

You sway the motion of Demetrius heart! 194

HERMIA

I frown upon him, yet he loves me still. 195

HELENA

O, that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill! 196

HERMIA

I give him curses, yet he gives me love. 197

HELENA

O, that my prayers could such affection move! 198

HERMIA

The more I hate, the more he follows me. 199

HELENA

The more I love, the more he hateth me. 200

HERMIA

His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine. 201

HELENA

None but your beauty. Would that fault were mine! 202

HERMIA

Take comfort: he no more shall see my face. 203

Lysander and myself will fly this place. 204

Before the time I did Lysander see 205

Seemed Athens as a paradise to me. 206

O, then, what graces in my love do dwell 207

That he hath turned a heaven unto a hell! 208

LYSANDER

Helen, to you our minds we will unfold. 209

Tomorrow night when Phoebe doth behold 210

Her silver visage in the wat’ry glass, 211

Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass 212

(A time that lovers’ flights doth still conceal), 213

Through Athens’ gates have we devised to steal. 214

HERMIA

And in the wood where often you and I 215

Upon faint primrose beds were wont to lie, 216

Emptying our bosoms of their counsel ⸢sweet,⸣ 217

There my Lysander and myself shall meet 218

And thence from Athens turn away our eyes 219

To seek new friends and ⸢stranger companies.⸣ 220

Farewell, sweet playfellow. Pray thou for us, 221

And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius.— 222

Keep word, Lysander. We must starve our sight 223

From lovers’ food till morrow deep midnight. 224

LYSANDER

I will, my Hermia 225

((Hermia exits.))

Helena, a dieu.

As you on him, Demetrius dote on you! 226

(Lysander exits.)

HELENA

How happy some o’er other some can be! 227

Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. 228

But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so. 229

He will not know what all but he do know. 230

And, as he errs, doting on Hermia’s eyes, 231

So I, admiring of his qualities. 232

Things base and vile, holding no quantity, 233

Love can transpose to form and dignity. 234

Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind; 235

And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. 236

Nor hath Love’s mind of any judgment taste. 237

Wings, and no eyes, figure unheedy haste. 238

And therefore is Love said to be a child 239

Because in choice he is so oft beguiled. 240

As waggish boys in game themselves forswear, 241

So the boy Love is perjured everywhere. 242

For, ere Demetrius looked on Hermia’s eyne, 243

He hailed down oaths that he was only mine; 244

And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt, 245

So he dissolved, and show’rs of oaths did melt. 246

I will go tell him of fair Hermia ‘s flight. 247

Then to the wood will he tomorrow night 248

Pursue her. And, for this intelligence 249

If I have thanks, it is a dear expense. 250

But herein mean I to enrich my pain, 251

To have his sight thither and back again. 252

(She exits.)

⸢Scene 2⸣

(Enter Quince the carpenter, and Snug the joiner, and Bottom the weaver, and Flute the bellows-mender, and Snout the tinker, and Starveling the tailor.)

QUINCE

Is all our company here?

BOTTOM

You were best to call them generally, man by man, according to the scrip.

QUINCE

Here is the scroll of every man’s name which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the Duke and the Duchess on his wedding day at night.

BOTTOM

First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow to a point.

QUINCE

Marry, our play is “The most lamentable comedy and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe.”

BOTTOM

A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves.

QUINCE

Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver.

BOTTOM

Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed.

QUINCE

You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.

BOTTOM

What is Pyramus—a lover or a tyrant?

QUINCE

A lover that kills himself most gallant for love.

BOTTOM

That will ask some tears in the true performing of it. If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes. I will move storms; I will condole in some measure. To the rest.—Yet my chief humor is for a tyrant. I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split:

The raging rocks 28

And shivering shocks 29

Shall break the locks 30

Of prison gates. 31

And Phibbus’ car 32

Shall shine from far 33

And make and mar 34

The foolish Fates. 35

This was lofty. Now name the rest of the players. This is Ercles’ vein, a tyrant’s vein. A lover is more condoling.

QUINCE

Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.

FLUTE

Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

Flute, you must take Thisbe on you.

FLUTE

What is Thisbe—a wand’ring knight?

QUINCE

It is the lady that Pyramus must love.

FLUTE

Nay, faith, let not me play a woman. I have a beard coming.

QUINCE

That’s all one. You shall play it in a mask, and you may speak as small as you will.

BOTTOM

An I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too. I’ll speak in a monstrous little voice: “Thisne, Thisne!”—“Ah Pyramus, my lover dear! Thy Thisbe dear and lady dear!”

QUINCE

No, no, you must play Pyramus—and, Flute, you Thisbe.

BOTTOM

Well, proceed.

QUINCE

Robin Starveling, the tailor.

STARVELING

Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

Robin Starveling, you must play Thisbe’s mother.—Tom Snout, the tinker.

SNOUT

Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE

You, Pyramus’ father.—Myself, Thisbe’s father.—Snug the joiner, you the lion’s part.— And I hope here is a play fitted.

SNUG

Have you the lion’s part written? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.

QUINCE

You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.

BOTTOM

Let me play the lion too. I will roar that I will do any man’s heart good to hear me. I will roar that I will make the Duke say “Let him roar again. Let him roar again!”

QUINCE

An you should do it too terribly, you would fright the Duchess and the ladies that they would shriek, and that were enough to hang us all.

ALL

That would hang us, every mother’s son.

BOTTOM

I grant you, friends, if you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more discretion but to hang us. But I will aggravate my voice so that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove. I will roar you an ’twere any nightingale.

QUINCE

You can play no part but Pyramus, for Pyramus is a sweet-faced man, a proper man as one shall see in a summer’s day, a most lovely gentlemanlike man. Therefore you must needs play Pyramus.

BOTTOM

Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best to play it in?

QUINCE

Why, what you will.

BOTTOM

I will discharge it in either your straw-color beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or your French-crown-color beard, your perfit yellow.

QUINCE

Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play barefaced. But, masters, here are your parts, ⸢giving out the parts ⸣, and I am to entreat you, request you, and desire you to con them by tomorrow night and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the town, by moonlight. There will we rehearse, for if we meet in the city, we shall be dogged with company and our devices known. In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties such as our play wants. I pray you fail me not.

BOTTOM

We will meet, and there we may rehearse most obscenely and courageously. Take pains. Be perfit. Adieu.

QUINCE

At the Duke’s Oak we meet.

BOTTOM

Enough. Hold or cut bowstrings.

(They exit.)

⸢ACT 2⸣

(Enter a Fairy at one door and Robin Goodfellow at another.)

⸢Scene 1⸣

ROBIN

How now, spirit? Whither wander you? 1

FAIRY

Over hill, over dale, 2

Thorough bush, thorough brier, 3

Over park, over pale, 4

Thorough flood, thorough fire; 5

I do wander everywhere, 6

Swifter than the moon’s sphere. 7

And I serve the Fairy Queen, 8

To dew her orbs upon the green. 9

The cowslips tall her pensioners be; 10

In their gold coats spots you see; 11

Those be rubies, Fairy favors; 12

In those freckles live their savors. 13

I must go seek some dewdrops here 14

And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear. 15

Farewell, thou lob of spirits. I’ll be gone. 16

Our queen and all her elves come here anon. 17

ROBIN

The King doth keep his revels here tonight. 18

Take heed the Queen come not within his sight, 19

For Oberon is passing fell and wrath 20

Because that she, as her attendant, hath 21

A lovely boy stolen from an Indian king; 22

She never had so sweet a changeling. 23

And jealous Oberon would have the child 24

Knight of his train, to trace the forests wild. 25

But she perforce withholds the lovèd boy, 26

Crowns him with flowers and makes him all her joy. 27

And now they never meet in grove or green, 28

By fountain clear or spangled starlight sheen, 29

But they do square, that all their elves for fear 30

Creep into acorn cups and hide them there. 31

FAIRY

Either I mistake your shape and making quite, 32

Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite 33

Called Robin Goodfellow. Are not you he 34

That frights the maidens of the villagery, 35

Skim milk, and sometimes labor in the quern 36

And bootless make the breathless huswife churn, 37

And sometime make the drink to bear no barm, 38

Mislead night wanderers, laughing at their harm? 39

Those that “Hobgoblin” call you and “sweet Puck,” 40

You do their work, and they shall have good luck. 41

Are not you he? 42

ROBIN

Thou speakest aright.

I am that merry wanderer of the night. 43

I jest to Oberon and make him smile 44

When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile, 45

Neighing in likeness of a filly foal. 46

And sometime lurk I in a gossip’s bowl 47

In very likeness of a roasted crab, 48

And, when she drinks, against her lips I bob 49

And on her withered dewlap pour the ale. 50

The wisest aunt, telling the saddest tale, 51

Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me; 52

Then slip I from her bum, down topples she 53

And “Tailor!” cries and f ALL s into a cough, 54

And then the whole choir hold their hips and loffe 55

And waxen in their mirth and neeze and swear 56

A merrier hour was never wasted there. 57

But room, Fairy. Here comes Oberon. 58

Fairy

And here my mistress. Would that he were gone! 59

(Enter ⸢Oberon⸣the King of Fairies at one door, with his train, and ⸢Titania⸣the Queen at another, with hers.)

OBERON

Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania. 60

TITANIA

What, jealous Oberon? ⸢Fairies⸣, skip hence. 61

I have forsworn his bed and company. 62

OBERON

Tarry, rash wanton. Am not I thy lord? 63

TITANIA

Then I must be thy lady. But I know 64

When thou hast stolen away from Fairyland 65

And in the shape of Corin sat all day 66

Playing on pipes of corn and versing love 67

To amorous Phillida. Why art thou here, 68

Come from the farthest steep of India, 69

But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon, 70

Your buskined mistress and your warrior love, 71

To Theseus must be wedded, and you come 72

To give their bed joy and prosperity? 73

OBERON

How canst thou thus for shame, Titania, 74

Glance at my credit with Hippolita, 75

Knowing I know thy love to Theseus? 76

Didst not thou lead him through the glimmering night 77

From ⸢Perigouna⸣, whom he ravishèd, 78

And make him with fair ⸢Aegles⸣break his faith, 79

With Ariadne and Antiopa? 80

TITANIA

These are the forgeries of jealousy; 81

And never, since the middle summer’s spring, 82

Met we on hill, in dale, forest, or mead, 83

By pavèd fountain or by rushy brook, 84

Or in the beachèd margent of the sea, 85

To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind, 86

But with thy brawls thou hast disturbed our sport. 87

Therefore the winds, piping to us in vain, 88

As in revenge have sucked up from the sea 89

Contagious fogs, which, falling in the land, 90

Hath every pelting river made so proud 91

That they have overborne their continents. 92

The ox hath therefore stretched his yoke in vain, 93

The plowman lost his sweat, and the green corn 94

Hath rotted ere his youth attained a beard. 95

The fold stands empty in the drownèd field, 96

And crows are fatted with the murrain flock. 97

The nine-men’s-morris is filled up with mud, 98

And the quaint mazes in the wanton green, 99

For lack of tread, are undistinguishable. 100

The human mortals want their winter here. 101

No night is now with hymn or carol blessed. 102

Therefore the moon, the governess of floods, 103

Pale in her anger, washes all the air, 104

That rheumatic diseases do abound. 105

And thorough this distemperature we see 106

The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts 107

Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose, 108

And on old Hiems’ ⸢thin⸣and icy crown 109

An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds 110

Is, as in mockery, set. The spring, the summer, 111

The childing autumn, angry winter, change 112

Their wonted liveries, and the mazèd world 113

By their increase now knows not which is which. 114

And this same progeny of evils comes 115

From our debate, from our dissension; 116

We are their parents and original. 117

OBERON

Do you amend it, then. It lies in you. 118

Why should Titania cross her Oberon? 119

I do but beg a little changeling boy 120

To be my henchman. 121

TITANIA

Set your heart at rest:

The Fairyland buys not the child of me. 122

His mother was a vot’ress of my order, 123

And in the spicèd Indian air by night 124

Full often hath she gossiped by my side 125

And sat with me on Neptune’s yellow sands, 126

Marking th’ embarkèd traders on the flood, 127

When we have laughed to see the sails conceive 128

And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind; 129

Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait, 130

Following (her womb then rich with my young squire), 131

Would imitate and sail upon the land 132

To fetch me trifles and return again, 133

As from a voyage, rich with merchandise. 134

But she, being mortal, of that boy did die, 135

And for her sake do I rear up her boy, 136

And for her sake I will not part with him. 137

OBERON

How long within this wood intend you stay? 138

TITANIA

Perchance till after Theseus’ wedding day. 139

If you will patiently dance in our round 140

And see our moonlight revels, go with us. 141

If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts. 142

OBERON

Give me that boy and I will go with thee. 143

TITANIA

Not for thy Fairy kingdom. Fairies, away. 144

We shall chide downright if I longer stay. 145

(⸢Titania and her fairies⸣exit.)

OBERON

Well, go thy way. Thou shalt not from this grove 146

Till I torment thee for this injury.— 147

My gentle Puck, come hither. Thou rememb’rest 148

Since once I sat upon a promontory 149

And heard a mermaid on a dolphin’s back 150

Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath 151

That the rude sea grew civil at her song 152

And certain stars shot madly from their spheres 153

To hear the sea-maid’s music. 154

ROBIN

I remember.

OBERON

That very time I saw (but thou couldst not), 155

Flying between the cold moon and the Earth, 156

Cupid all armed. A certain aim he took 157

At a fair vestal thronèd by the west, 158

And loosed his love-shaft smartly from his bow 159

As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts. 160

But I might see young Cupid’s fiery shaft 161

Quenched in the chaste beams of the wat’ry moon, 162

And the imperial vot’ress passèd on 163

In maiden meditation, fancy-free. 164

Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell. 165

It fell upon a little western flower, 166

Before, milk-white, now purple with love’s wound, 167

And maidens call it “love-in-idleness.” 168

Fetch me that flower; the herb I showed thee once. 169

The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid 170

Will make or man or woman madly dote 171

Upon the next live creature that it sees. 172

Fetch me this herb, and be thou here again 173

Ere the leviathan can swim a league. 174

ROBIN

I’ll put a girdle round about the Earth 175

In forty minutes. 176

(⸢He exits.⸣)

OBERON

Having once this juice,

I’ll watch Titania when she is asleep 177

And drop the liquor of it in her eyes. 178

The next thing then she, waking, looks upon 179

(Be it on lion, bear, or wolf, or bull, 180

On meddling monkey, or on busy ape) 181

She shall pursue it with the soul of love. 182

And ere I take this charm from off her sight 183

(As I can take it with another herb), 184

I’ll make her render up her page to me. 185

But who comes here? I am invisible, 186

And I will overhear their conference. 187

(Enter Demetrius, Helena following him.)

DEMETRIUS

I love thee not; therefore pursue me not. 188

Where is Lysander and fair Hermia? 189

The one I’ll stay; the other stayeth me. 190

Thou told’st me they were stol’n unto this wood, 191

And here am I, and wood within this wood 192

Because I cannot meet my Hermia. 193

Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more. 194

HELENA

You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant! 195

But yet you draw not iron, for my heart 196

Is true as steel. Leave you your power to draw, 197

And I sh ALL have no power to follow you. 198

DEMETRIUS

Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? 199

Or rather do I not in plainest truth 200

Tell you I do not, ⸢nor⸣I cannot love you? 201

HELENA

And even for that do I love you the more. 202

I am your spaniel, and, Demetrius, 203

The more you beat me I will fawn on you. 204

Use me but as your spaniel: spurn me, strike me, 205

Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave 206

(Unworthy as I am) to follow you. 207

What worser place can I beg in your love 208

(And yet a place of high respect with me) 209

Than to be usèd as you use your dog? 210

DEMETRIUS

Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit, 211

For I am sick when I do look on thee. 212

HELENA

And I am sick when I look not on you. 213

DEMETRIUS

You do impeach your modesty too much 214

To leave the city and commit yourself 215

Into the hands of one that loves you not, 216

To trust the opportunity of night 217

And the ill counsel of a desert place 218

With the rich worth of your virginity. 219

HELENA

Your virtue is my privilege. For that 220

It is not night when I do see your face, 221

Therefore I think I am not in the night. 222

Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company, 223

For you, in my respect, are all the world. 224

Then, how can it be said I am alone 225

When all the world is here to look on me? 226

DEMETRIUS

I’ll run from thee and hide me in the brakes 227

And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts. 228

HELENA

The wildest hath not such a heart as you. 229

Run when you will. The story shall be changed: 230

Apollo flies and Daphne holds the chase; 231

The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind 232

Makes speed to catch the tiger. Bootless speed 233

When cowardice pursues and valor flies! 234

DEMETRIUS

I will not stay thy questions. Let me go, 235

Or if thou follow me, do not believe 236

But I shall do thee mischief in the wood. 237

HELENA

Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field, 238

You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius! 239

Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex. 240

We cannot fight for love as men may do. 241

We should be wooed and were not made to woo. 242

(⸢Demetrius exits.⸣)

I’ll follow thee and make a heaven of hell 243

To die upon the hand I love so well. 244

(⸢Helena exits.⸣)

OBERON

Fare thee well, nymph. Ere he do leave this grove, 245

Thou shalt fly him, and he shall seek thy love. 246

(Enter ⸢Robin.⸣)

Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer. 247

ROBIN

Ay, there it is. 248

OBERON

I pray thee give it me.

(⸢Robin gives him the flower.⸣)

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, 249

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, 250

Quite overcanopied with luscious woodbine, 251

With sweet muskroses, and with eglantine. 252

There sleeps Titania sometime of the night, 253

Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight. 254

And there the snake throws her enameled skin, 255

Weed wide enough to wrap a Fairy in. 256

And with the juice of this I’ll streak her eyes 257

And make her full of hateful fantasies. 258

Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove. 259

(⸢He gives Robin part of the flower.⸣)

A sweet Athenian lady is in love 260

With a disdainful youth. Anoint his eyes, 261

But do it when the next thing he espies 262

May be the lady. Thou shalt know the man 263

By the Athenian garments he hath on. 264

Effect it with some care, that he may prove 265

More fond on her than she upon her love. 266

And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow. 267

ROBIN

Fear not, my lord. Your servant shall do so. 268

(They exit.)

⸢Scene 2⸣

(Enter Titania, Queen of Fairies, with her train.)

TITANIA

Come, now a roundel and a Fairy song; 1

Then, for the third part of a minute, hence— 2

Some to kill cankers in the muskrose buds, 3

Some war with reremice for their leathern wings 4

To make my sm ALL elves coats, and some keep back 5

The clamorous owl that nightly hoots and wonders 6

At our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep. 7

Then to your offices and let me rest. 8

(She lies down.)

(Fairies sing.)

⸢FIRST FAIRY⸣

You spotted snakes with double tongue, 9

Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen. 10

Newts and blindworms, do no wrong, 11

Come not near our Fairy Queen. 12

⸢CHORUS⸣

Philomel, with melody 13

Sing in our sweet lullaby. 14

Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby. 15

Never harm 16

Nor spell nor charm 17

Come our lovely lady nigh. 18

So good night, with lullaby. 19

FIRST FAIRY

Weaving spiders, come not here. 20

Hence, you long-legged spinners, hence. 21

Beetles black, approach not near. 22

Worm nor snail, do no offence. 23

⸢CHORUS⸣

Philomel, with melody 24

Sing in our sweet lullaby. 25

Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby. 26

Never harm 27

Nor spell nor charm 28

Come our lovely lady nigh. 29

So good night, with lullaby. 30

(Titania sleeps.)

SECOND FAIRY

Hence, away! Now all is well. 31

One aloof stand sentinel. 32

(Fairies exit)

(Enter Oberon, ⸢who anoints Titania’s eyelids with the nectar.⸣)

OBERON

What thou seest when thou dost wake 33

Do it for thy true love take. 34

Love and languish for his sake. 35

Be it ounce, or cat, or bear, 36

Pard, or boar with bristled hair, 37

In thy eye that shall appear 38

When thou wak’st, it is thy dear. 39

Wake when some vile thing is near. 40

(⸢He exits.⸣)

(Enter Lysander and Hermia.)

LYSANDER

Fair love, you faint with wand’ring in the wood. 41

And, to speak troth, I have forgot our way. 42

We’ll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good, 43

And tarry for the comfort of the day. 44

HERMIA

⸢Be⸣it so, Lysander. Find you out a bed, 45

For I upon this bank will rest my head. 46

LYSANDER

One turf shall serve as pillow for us both; 47

One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth. 48

HERMIA

Nay, good Lysander. For my sake, my dear, 49

Lie further off yet. Do not lie so near. 50

LYSANDER

O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence! 51

Love takes the meaning in love’s conference. 52

I mean that my heart unto yours ⸢is⸣knit, 53

So that but one heart we can make of it; 54

Two bosoms interchainèd with an oath— 55

So then two bosoms and a single troth. 56

Then by your side no bed-room me deny, 57

For lying so, Hermia, I do not lie. 58

HERMIA

Lysander riddles very prettily. 59

Now much beshrew my manners and my pride 60

If Hermia meant to say Lysander lied. 61

But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy, 62

Lie further off in human modesty. 63

Such separation, as may well be said, 64

Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid. 65

So far be distant; and good night, sweet friend. 66

Thy love ne’er alter till thy sweet life end! 67

LYSANDER

“Amen, amen” to that fair prayer, say I, 68

And then end life when I end loyalty! 69

Here is my bed. Sleep give thee all his rest! 70

HERMIA

With half that wish the wisher’s eyes be pressed! 71

(⸢They sleep.⸣)

(Enter ⸢Robin.⸣)

ROBIN

Through the forest have I gone, 72

But Athenian found I none 73

On whose eyes I might approve 74

This flower’s force in stirring love. 75

(⸢He sees Lysander⸣.)

Night and silence! Who is here? 76

Weeds of Athens he doth wear. 77

This is he my master said 78

Despisèd the Athenian maid. 79

And here the maiden, sleeping sound 80

On the dank and dirty ground. 81

Pretty soul, she durst not lie 82

Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy.— 83

Churl, upon thy eyes I throw 84

all the power this charm doth owe. 85

(⸢He anoints Lysander’s eyelids with the nectar.⸣)

When thou wak’st, let love forbid 86

Sleep his seat on thy eyelid. 87

So, awake when I am gone, 88

For I must now to Oberon 89

(He exits.)

(Enter Demetrius and Helena, running.)

HELENA

Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demtrius. 90

DEMETRIUS

I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus. 91

HELENA

O, wilt thou darkling leave me? Do not so. 92

DEMETRIUS

Stay, on thy peril. I alone will go. 93

(⸢Demetrius exits.⸣)

HELENA

O, I am out of breath in this fond chase. 94

The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace. 95

Happy is Hermia, wheresoe’er she lies, 96

For she hath blessèd and attractive eyes. 97

How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears. 98

If so, my eyes are oftener washed than hers. 99

No, no, I am as ugly as a bear, 100

For beasts that meet me run away for fear. 101

Therefore no marvel though Demetrius 102

Do as a monster fly my presence thus. 103

What wicked and dissembling glass of mine 104

Made me compare with Hermia’s sphery eyne? 105

But who is here? Lysander, on the ground! 106

Dead or asleep? I see no blood, no wound.— 107

Lysander, if you live, good sir, awake. 108

LYSANDER

⸢waking up⸣ And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake. 109

Transparent Helena! Nature shows art, 110

That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart. 111

Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word 112

Is that vile name to perish on my sword! 113

HELENA

Do not say so. Lysander, say not so. 114

What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though? 115

Yet Hermia still loves you. Then be content. 116

LYSANDER

Content with Hermia? No, I do repent 117

The tedious minutes I with her have spent. 118

Not Hermia, but Helena I love. 119

Who will not change a raven for a dove? 120

The will of man is by his reason swayed, 121

And reason says you are the worthier maid. 122

Things growing are not ripe until their season; 123

So I, being young, till now ripe not to reason. 124

And touching now the point of human skill, 125

Reason becomes the marshal to my will 126

And leads me to your eyes, where I o’erlook 127

Love’s stories written in love’s richest book. 128

HELENA

Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born? 129

When at your hands did I deserve this scorn? 130

Is ’t not enough, is ’t not enough, young man, 131

That I did never, no, nor never can 132

Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius’ eye, 133

But you must flout my insufficiency? 134

Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do, 135

In such disdainful manner me to woo. 136

But fare you well. Perforce I must confess 137

I thought you lord of more true gentleness. 138

O, that a lady of one man refused 139

Should of another therefore be abused! 140

(She exits.)

LYSANDER

She sees not Hermia.— Hermia sleep thou there, 141

And never mayst thou come Lysander near. 142

For, as a surfeit of the sweetest things 143

The deepest loathing to the stomach brings, 144

Or as the heresies that men do leave 145

Are hated most of those they did deceive, 146

So thou, my surfeit and my heresy, 147

Of all be hated, but the most of me! 148

And, all my powers, address your love and might 149

To honor Helen and to be her knight. 150

(He exits.)

HERMIA

⸢waking up⸣ Help me, Lysander, help me! Do thy best 151

To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast. 152

Ay me, for pity! What a dream was here! 153

Lysander, look how I do quake with fear. 154

Methought a serpent ate my heart away, 155

And you sat smiling at his cruel prey. 156

Lysander! What, removed? Lysander, lord! 157

What, out of hearing? Gone? No sound, no word? 158

Alack, where are you? Speak, an if you hear. 159

Speak, of all loves! I swoon almost with fear.— 160

No? Then I well perceive you are not nigh. 161

Either death or you I’ll find immediately. 162

(She exits.)

⸢ACT 3⸣

⸢Scene 1⸣

(⸢With Titania still asleep onstage⸣, enter the Clowns, ⸢Bottom, Quince, Snout, Starveling, Snug, and Flute.⸣)

BOTTOM

Are we all met?

QUINCE

Pat, pat. And here’s a marvels convenient place for our rehearsal. This green plot shall be our stage, this hawthorn brake our tiring-house, and we will do it in action as we will do it before the Duke.

BOTTOM

Peter Quince?

QUINCE

What sayest thou, bully Bottom?

BOTTOM

There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisbe that will never please. First, Pyramus must draw a sword to kill himself, which the ladies cannot abide. How answer you that?

SNOUT

By ’r lakin, a parlous fear.

STARVELING

I believe we must leave the killing out, when all is done.

BOTTOM

Not a whit! I have a device to make all well. Write me a prologue, and let the prologue seem to say we will do no harm with our swords and that Pyramus is not killed indeed. And, for the more better assurance, tell them that I, Pyramus, am not Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver. This will put them out of fear.

QUINCE

Well, we will have such a prologue, and it shall be written in eight and six.

BOTTOM

No, make it two more. Let it be written in eight and eight.

SNOUT

Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?

STARVELING

I fear it, I promise you.

BOTTOM

Masters, you ought to consider with yourself, to bring in (God shield us!) a lion among ladies is a most dreadful thing. For there is not a more fearful wildfowl than your lion living, and we ought to look to ’t.

SNOUT

Therefore another prologue must tell he is not a lion.

BOTTOM

Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must be seen through the lion’s neck, and he himself must speak through, saying thus, or to the same defect: “Ladies,” or “Fair ladies, I would wish you,” or “I would request you,” or “I would entreat you not to fear, not to tremble! My life for yours. If you think I come hither as a lion, it were pity of my life. No, I am no such thing. I am a man as other men are.” And there indeed let him name his name and tell them plainly he is Snug the joiner.

QUINCE

Well, it shall be so. But there is two hard things: that is, to bring the moonlight into a chamber, for you know Pyramus and Thisbe meet by moonlight.

SNOUT

Doth the moon shine that night we play our play?

BOTTOM

A calendar, a calendar! Look in the almanac. Find out moonshine, find out moonshine.

(⸢Quince takes out a book⸣.)

QUINCE

Yes, it doth shine that night.

BOTTOM

Why, then, may you leave a casement of the great chamber window, where we play, open, and the moon may shine in at the casement.

QUINCE

Ay, or else one must come in with a bush of thorns and a lantern and say he comes to disfigure or to present the person of Moonshine. Then there is another thing: we must have a wall in the great chamber, for Pyramus and Thisbe, says the story, did talk through the chink of a wall .

SNOUT

You can never bring in a wall . What say you, Bottom?

BOTTOM

Some man or other must present Wall . And let him have some plaster, or some loam, or some roughcast about him to signify wall, or let him hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisbe whisper.

QUINCE

If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit down, every mother’s son, and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, you begin. When you have spoken your speech, enter into that brake, and so everyone according to his cue.

(Enter Robin ⸢invisible to those onstage.⸣)

ROBIN

What hempen homespuns have we swagg’ring here 71

So near the cradle of the Fairy Queen? 72

What, a play toward? I’ll be an auditor— 73

An actor too perhaps, if I see cause 74

QUINCE

Speak, Pyramus.—Thisbe, stand forth.

BOTTOM

⸢as Pyramus⸣ Thisbe, the flowers of odious savors sweet— 76

QUINCE

Odors, ⸢odors!⸣

BOTTOM

⸢as Pyramus⸣ …odors savors sweet. 78

So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisbe dear.— 79

But hark, a voice! Stay thou but here awhile, 80

And by and by I will to thee appear. 81

(He exits.)

ROBIN

A stranger Pyramus than e’er played here.

(He exits.)

FLUTE

Must I speak now?

QUINCE

Ay, marry, must you, for you must understand he goes but to see a noise that he heard and is to come again.

FLUTE

(as Thisbe) Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of hue, 86

Of color like the red rose on triumphant brier, 87

Most brisky juvenal and eke most lovely Jew, 88

As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire. 89

I’ll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny’s tomb. 90

QUINCE

“Ninus’ tomb,” man! Why, you must not speak that yet. That you answer to Pyramus. You speak all your part at once, cues and all .—Pyramus, enter. Your cue is past. It is “never tire.”

FLUTE

⸢As Thisbe⸣. O!

As true as truest horse, that yet would never tire. 96

(⸢Enter Robin, and Bottom as Pyramus with the ass-head.⸣)

BOTTOM

(as Pyramus) If I were ⸢fair,⸣ fair Thisbe, I were only thine. 97

QUINCE

O monstrous! O strange! We are haunted. Pray, masters, fly, masters! Help!

(⸢Quince, Flute, Snout, Snug, and Starveling exit.⸣)

ROBIN

I’ll follow you. I’ll lead you about a round, 99

Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier. 100

Sometime a horse I’ll be, sometime a hound, 101

A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire, 102

And neigh and bark and grunt and roar and burn, 103

Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn. 104

(He exits.)

BOTTOM

Why do they run away? This is a knavery of them to make me afeard.

(Enter Snout.)

SNOUT

O Bottom, thou art changed! What do I see on thee?

BOTTOM

What do you see? You see an ass-head of your own, do you?

(⸢Snout exits.⸣)

(Enter Quince.)

QUINCE

Bless thee, Bottom, bless thee! Thou art translated!

(He exits.)

BOTTOM

I see their knavery. This is to make an ass of me, to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can. I will walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid.

⸢He sings.⸣ The ouzel cock, so black of hue, 114

With orange-tawny bill, 115

The throstle with his note so true, 116

The wren with little quill— 117

TITANIA

⸢waking up⸣ What angel wakes me from my flow’ry bed? 118

BOTTOM

⸢sings⸣ The finch, the sparrow, and the lark, 119

The plainsong cuckoo gray, 120

Whose note full many a man doth mark 121

And dares not answer “nay”— 122

for, indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? Who would give a bird the lie though he cry “cuckoo” never so?

TITANIA

I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again. 126

Mine ear is much enamored of thy note, 127

So is mine eye enthrallèd to thy shape, 128

And thy fair virtue’s force perforce doth move me 129

On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee. 130

BOTTOM

Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that. And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together nowadays. The more the pity that some honest neighbors will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek upon occasion.

TITANIA

Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful. 136

BOTTOM

Not so neither; but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn.

TITANIA

Out of this wood do not desire to go. 139

Thou shalt remain here whether thou wilt or no. 140

I am a spirit of no common rate. 141

The summer still doth tend upon my state, 142

And I do love thee. Therefore go with me. 143

I’ll give thee fairies to attend on thee, 144

And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep 145

And sing while thou on pressèd flowers dost sleep. 146

And I will purge thy mortal grossness so 147

That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.— 148

Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mote, and Mustardseed! 149

(Enter four Fairies: ⸢Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mote, and Mustardseed.⸣)

⸢PEASEBLOSSOM⸣

Ready.

⸢COBWEB⸣

And I.

⸢MOTE⸣

And I.

⸢MUSTARDSEED⸣

And I.

⸢ALL⸣

Where shall we go?

TITANIA

Be kind and courteous to this gentleman. 155

Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes; 156

Feed him with apricocks and dewberries, 157

With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries; 158

The honey-bags steal from the humble-bees, 159

And for night-tapers crop their waxen thighs 160

And light them at the fiery glowworms’ eyes 161

To have my love to bed and to arise; 162

And pluck the wings from painted butterflies 163

To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes. 164

Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies. 165

⸢PEASEBLOSSOM⸣

Hail, mortal!

⸢COBWEB⸣

Hail!

⸢MOTE⸣

Hail!

⸢MUSTARDSEED⸣

Hail!

BOTTOM

I cry your Worships mercy, heartily.—I beseech your Worship’s name.

COBWEB

Cobweb.

BOTTOM

I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good Master Cobweb. If I cut my finger, I shall make bold with you.—Your name, honest gentleman?

PEASEBLOSSOM

Peaseblossom.

BOTTOM

I pray you, commend me to Mistress Squash, your mother, and to Master Peascod, your father. Good Master Peaseblossom, I shall desire you of more acquaintance too.—Your name, I beseech you, sir?

MUSTARDSEED

Mustardseed.

BOTTOM

Good Master Mustardseed, I know your patience well. That same cowardly, giantlike ox-beef hath devoured many a gentleman of your house. I promise you, your kindred hath made my eyes water ere now. I desire you of more acquaintance, good Master Mustardseed.

TITANIA

Come, wait upon him. Lead him to my bower. 187

The moon, methinks, looks with a wat’ry eye, 188

And when she weeps, weeps every little flower, 189

Lamenting some enforcèd chastity. 190

Tie up my lover’s tongue. Bring him silently. 191

(⸢They⸣ exit.)

⸢Scene 2⸣

(Enter ⸢Oberon,⸣ King of Fairies.)

OBERON

I wonder if Titania be awaked; 1

Then what it was that next came in her eye, 2

Which she must dote on in extremity. 3

⸢Enter Robin Goodfellow.⸣ Here comes my messenger. How now, mad spirit? 4

What night-rule now about this haunted grove? 5

ROBIN

My mistress with a monster is in love. 6

Near to her close and consecrated bower, 7

While she was in her dull and sleeping hour, 8

A crew of patches, rude mechanicals, 9

That work for bread upon Athenian stalls, 10

Were met together to rehearse a play 11

Intended for great Theseus’ nuptial day. 12

The shall owest thick-skin of that barren sort, 13

Who Pyramus presented in their sport, 14

Forsook his scene and entered in a brake. 15

When I did him at this advantage take, 16

An ass’s noll I fixèd on his head. 17

Anon his Thisbe must be answerèd, 18

And forth my ⸢mimic⸣comes. When they him spy, 19

As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye, 20

Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort, 21

Rising and cawing at the gun’s report, 22

Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky, 23

So at his sight away his fellows fly, 24

And, at our stamp, here o’er and o’er one falls. 25

He “Murder” cries and help from Athens calls. 26

Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears thus strong, 27

Made senseless things begin to do them wrong; 28

For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch, 29

Some sleeves, some hats, from yielders all things catch. 30

I led them on in this distracted fear 31

And left sweet Pyramus translated there. 32

When in that moment, so it came to pass, 33

Titania waked and straightway loved an ass. 34

OBERON

This falls out better than I could devise. 35

But hast thou yet latched the Athenian’s eyes 36

With the love juice, as I did bid thee do? 37

ROBIN

I took him sleeping—that is finished, too— 38

And the Athenian woman by his side, 39

That, when he waked, of force she must be eyed. 40

(Enter Demetrius and Hermia.)

OBERON

Stand close. This is the same Athenian. 41

ROBIN

This is the woman, but not this the man. 42

(⸢They step aside.⸣)

DEMETRIUS

O, why rebuke you him that loves you so? 43

Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe! 44

HERMIA

Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse, 45

For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse. 46

If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep, 47

Being o’er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep 48

And kill me too. 49

The sun was not so true unto the day 50

As he to me. Would he have stolen away 51

From sleeping Hermia? I’ll believe as soon 52

This whole Earth may be bored, and that the moon 53

May through the center creep and so displease 54

Her brother’s noontide with th’ Antipodes. 55

It cannot be but thou hast murdered him. 56

So should a murderer look, so dead, so grim. 57

DEMETRIUS

So should the murdered look, and so should I, 58

Pierced through the heart with your stern cruelty. 59

Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear, 60

As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere. 61

HERMIA

What’s this to my Lysander? Where is he? 62

Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? 63

DEMETRIUS

I had rather give his carcass to my hounds. 64

HERMIA

Out, dog! Out, cur! Thou driv’st me past the bounds 65

Of maiden’s patience. Hast thou slain him, then? 66

Henceforth be never numbered among men. 67

O, once tell true! Tell true, even for my sake! 68

Durst thou have looked upon him, being awake? 69

And hast thou killed him sleeping? O brave touch! 70

Could not a worm, an adder, do so much? 71

An adder did it, for with doubler tongue 72

Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung. 73

DEMETRIUS

You spend your passion on a misprised mood. 74

I am not guilty of Lysander’s blood, 75

Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell. 76

HERMIA

I pray thee, tell me then that he is well. 77

DEMETRIUS

An if I could, what should I get therefor? 78

HERMIA

A privilege never to see me more. 79

And from thy hated presence part I ⸢so.⸣ 80

See me no more, whether he be dead or no. 81

(She exits.)

DEMETRIUS

There is no following her in this fierce vein. 82

Here, therefore, for a while I will remain. 83

So sorrow’s heaviness doth heavier grow 84

For debt that bankrout ⸢sleep⸣doth sorrow owe, 85

Which now in some slight measure it will pay, 86

If for his tender here I make some stay. 87

(⸢He⸣ lies down and ⸢falls asleep⸣ .)

OBERON

⸢to Robin⸣ What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite 88

And laid the love juice on some true-love’s sight. 89

Of thy misprision must perforce ensue 90

Some true-love turned, and not a false turned true. 91

ROBIN

Then fate o’errules, that, one man holding troth, 92

A million fail, confounding oath on oath. 93

OBERON

About the wood go swifter than the wind, 94

And Helena of Athens look thou find. 95

All fancy-sick she is and pale of cheer 96

With sighs of love that costs the fresh blood dear. 97

By some illusion see thou bring her here. 98

I’ll charm his eyes against she do appear. 99

ROBIN

I go, I go, look how I go 100

Swifter than arrow from the Tartar’s bow. 101

(⸢He exits.⸣)

OBERON

⸢applying the nectar to Demetrius’ eyes⸣ Flower of this purple dye, 102

Hit with Cupid’s archery, 103

Sink in apple of his eye. 104

When his love he doth espy, 105

Let her shine as gloriously 106

As the Venus of the sky.— 107

When thou wak’st, if she be by, 108

Beg of her for remedy. 109

(Enter ⸢Robin.⸣)

ROBIN

Captain of our Fairy band, 110

Helena is here at hand, 111

And the youth, mistook by me, 112

Pleading for a lover’s fee. 113

Shall we their fond pageant see? 114

Lord, what fools these mortals be! 115

OBERON

Stand aside. The noise they make 116

Will cause Demetrius to awake. 117

ROBIN

Then will two at once woo one. 118

That must needs be sport alone. 119

And those things do best please me 120

That befall prepost’rously. 121

(⸢They step aside.⸣)

(Enter Lysander and Helena.)

LYSANDER

Why should you think that I should woo in scorn? 122

Scorn and derision never come in tears. 123

Look when I vow, I weep; and vows so born, 124

In their nativity all truth appears. 125

How can these things in me seem scorn to you, 126

Bearing the badge of faith to prove them true? 127

HELENA

You do advance your cunning more and more. 128

When truth kills truth, O devilish holy fray! 129

These vows are Hermia’s. Will you give her o’er? 130

Weigh oath with oath and you will nothing weigh. 131

Your vows to her and me, put in two scales, 132

Will even weigh, and both as light as tales. 133

LYSANDER

I had no judgment when to her I swore. 134

HELENA

Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o’er. 135

LYSANDER

Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you. 136

DEMETRIUS

⸢waking up⸣ O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! 137

To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? 138

Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show 139

Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! 140

That pure congealèd white, high Taurus’ snow, 141

Fanned with the eastern wind, turns to a crow 142

When thou hold’st up thy hand. O, let me kiss 143

This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss! 144

HELENA

O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent 145

To set against me for your merriment. 146

If you were civil and knew courtesy, 147

You would not do me thus much injury. 148

Can you not hate me, as I know you do, 149

But you must join in souls to mock me too? 150

If you were men, as men you are in show, 151

You would not use a gentle lady so, 152

To vow and swear and superpraise my parts, 153

When, I am sure, you hate me with your hearts. 154

You both are rivals and love Hermia, 155

And now both rivals to mock Helena. 156

A trim exploit, a manly enterprise, 157

To conjure tears up in a poor maid’s eyes 158

With your derision! None of noble sort 159

Would so offend a virgin and extort 160

A poor soul’s patience, all to make you sport. 161

LYSANDER

You are unkind, Demetrius. Be not so, 162

For you love Hermia; this you know I know. 163

And here with all goodwill, with all my heart, 164

In Hermia’s love I yield you up my part. 165

And yours of Helena to me bequeath, 166

Whom I do love and will do till my death. 167

HELENA

Never did mockers waste more idle breath. 168

DEMETRIUS

Lysander, keep thy Hermia. I will none. 169

If e’er I loved her, all that love is gone. 170

My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourned, 171

And now to Helen is it home returned, 172

There to remain. 173

LYSANDER

Helen, it is not so.

DEMETRIUS

Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, 174

Lest to thy peril thou aby it dear. 175

Look where thy love comes. Yonder is thy dear. 176

(Enter Hermia.)

HERMIA

⸢to Lysander⸣ Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, 177

The ear more quick of apprehension makes; 178

Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense, 179

It pays the hearing double recompense. 180

Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found; 181

Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound. 182

But why unkindly didst thou leave me so? 183

LYSANDER

Why should he stay whom love doth press to go? 184

HERMIA

What love could press Lysander from my side? 185

LYSANDER

Lysander’s love, that would not let him bide, 186

Fair Helena, who more engilds the night 187

Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light. 188

Why seek’st thou me? Could not this make thee know 189

The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so? 190

HERMIA

You speak not as you think. It cannot be. 191

HELENA

Lo, she is one of this confederacy! 192

Now I perceive they have conjoined all three 193

To fashion this false sport in spite of me.— 194

Injurious Hermia, most ungrateful maid, 195

Have you conspired, have you with these contrived, 196

To bait me with this foul derision? 197

Is all the counsel that we two have shared, 198

The sisters’ vows, the hours that we have spent 199

When we have chid the hasty-footed time 200

For parting us—O, is all forgot? 201

All schooldays’ friendship, childhood innocence? 202

We, Hermia, like two artificial gods, 203

Have with our needles created both one flower, 204

Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion, 205

Both warbling of one song, both in one key, 206

As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds 207

Had been incorporate. So we grew together 208

Like to a double cherry, seeming parted, 209

But yet an union in partition, 210

Two lovely berries molded on one stem; 211

So with two seeming bodies but one heart, 212

Two of the first, ⸢like⸣ coats in heraldry, 213

Due but to one, and crownèd with one crest. 214

And will you rent our ancient love asunder, 215

To join with men in scorning your poor friend? 216

It is not friendly; ’tis not maidenly. 217

Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it, 218

Though I alone do feel the injury. 219

HERMIA

I am amazèd at your words. 220

I scorn you not. It seems that you scorn me. 221

HELENA

Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn, 222

To follow me and praise my eyes and face, 223

And made your other love, Demetrius, 224

Who even but now did spurn me with his foot, 225

To call me goddess, nymph, divine and rare, 226

Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this 227

To her he hates? And wherefore doth Lysander 228

Deny your love (so rich within his soul) 229

And tender me, forsooth, affection, 230

But by your setting on, by your consent? 231

What though I be not so in grace as you, 232

So hung upon with love, so fortunate, 233

But miserable most, to love unloved? 234

This you should pity rather than despise. 235

HERMIA

I understand not what you mean by this. 236

HELENA

Ay, do. Persever, counterfeit sad looks, 237

Make mouths upon me when I turn my back, 238

Wink each at other, hold the sweet jest up. 239

This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled. 240

If you have any pity, grace, or manners, 241

You would not make me such an argument. 242

But fare you well. ’Tis partly my own fault, 243

Which death or absence soon shall remedy. 244

LYSANDER

Stay, gentle Helena. Hear my excuse, 245

My love, my life, my soul, fair Helena. 246

HELENA

O excellent! 247

HERMIA

⸢to Lysander⸣ Sweet, do not scorn her so.

DEMETRIUS

⸢to Lysander⸣ If she cannot entreat, I can compel. 248

LYSANDER

Thou canst compel no more than she entreat. 249

Thy threats have no more strength than her weak ⸢prayers.⸣— 250

Helen, I love thee. By my life, I do. 251

I swear by that which I will lose for thee, 252

To prove him false that says I love thee not. 253

DEMETRIUS

I say I love thee more than he can do. 254

LYSANDER

If thou say so, withdraw and prove it too. 255

DEMETRIUS

Quick, come. 256

HERMIA

Lysander, whereto tends all this?

(⸢She takes hold of Lysander.⸣)

LYSANDER

Away, you Ethiop! 257

DEMETRIUS

⸢to Hermia⸣ No, no. He’ll

Seem to break loose. 258

⸢To Lysander.⸣ Take on as you 259

would follow, 260

But yet come not. You are a tame man, go! 261

LYSANDER

⸢to Hermia⸣ Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! Vile thing, let loose, 262

Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent. 263

HERMIA

Why are you grown so rude? What change is this, 264

Sweet love? 265

LYSANDER

Thy love? Out, tawny Tartar, out!

Out, loathèd med’cine! O, hated potion, hence! 266

HERMIA

Do you not jest? 267

HELENA

Yes, sooth, and so do you.

LYSANDER

Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. 268

DEMETRIUS

I would I had your bond. For I perceive 269

A weak bond holds you. I’ll not trust your word. 270

LYSANDER

What? Should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead? 271

Although I hate her, I’ll not harm her so. 272

HERMIA

What, can you do me greater harm than hate? 273

Hate me? Wherefore? O me, what news, my love? 274

Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander? 275

I am as fair now as I was erewhile. 276

Since night you loved me; yet since night you left me. 277

Why, then, you left me—O, the gods forbid!— 278

In earnest, shall I say? 279

LYSANDER

Ay, by my life,

And never did desire to see thee more. 280

Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt. 281

Be certain, nothing truer, ’tis no jest 282

That I do hate thee and love Helena. 283

(⸢Hermia turns him loose.⸣)

HERMIA

⸢To Helena⸣ O me! You juggler, you cankerblossom, 284

You thief of love! What, have you come by night 285

And stol’n my love’s heart from him? 286

HELENA

Fine, i’ faith.

Have you no modesty, no maiden shame, 287

No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear 288

Impatient answers from my gentle tongue? 289

Fie, fie, you counterfeit, you puppet, you! 290

HERMIA

“Puppet”? Why so? Ay, that way goes the game. 291

Now I perceive that she hath made compare 292

Between our statures; she hath urged her height, 293

And with her personage, her tall personage, 294

Her height, forsooth, she hath prevailed with him. 295

And are you grown so high in his esteem 296

Because I am so dwarfish and so low? 297

How low am I, thou painted maypole? Speak! 298

How low am I? I am not yet so low 299

But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes. 300

HELENA

I pray you, though you mock me, ⸢gentlemen,⸣ 301

Let her not hurt me. I was never curst; 302

I have no gift at all in shrewishness. 303

I am a right maid for my cowardice. 304

Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think, 305

Because she is something lower than myself, 306

That I can match her. 307

HERMIA

“Lower”? Hark, again!

HELENA

Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me. 308

I evermore did love you, Hermia, 309

Did ever keep your counsels, never wronged you— 310

Save that, in love unto Demetrius, 311

I told him of your stealth unto this wood. 312

He followed you; for love, I followed him. 313

But he hath chid me hence and threatened me 314

To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too. 315

And now, so you will let me quiet go, 316

To Athens will I bear my folly back 317

And follow you no further. Let me go. 318

You see how simple and how fond I am. 319

HERMIA

Why, get you gone. Who is ’t that hinders you? 320

HELENA

A foolish heart that I leave here behind. 321

HERMIA

What, with Lysander? 322

HELENA

With Demetrius.

LYSANDER

Be not afraid. She shall not harm thee, Helena. 323

DEMETRIUS

No, sir, she shall not, though you take her part. 324

HELENA

O, when she is angry, she is keen and shrewd. 325

She was a vixen when she went to school, 326

And though she be but little, she is fierce. 327

HERMIA

“Little” again? Nothing ⸢but⸣ “low” and “little”? 328

Why will you suffer her to flout me thus? 329

Let me come to her. 330

LYSANDER

Get you gone, you dwarf,

You minimus of hind’ring knotgrass made, 331

You bead, you acorn— 332

DEMETRIUS

You are too officious

In her behalf that scorns your services. 333

Let her alone. Speak not of Helena. 334

Take not her part. For if thou dost intend 335

Never so little show of love to her, 336

Thou shalt aby it. 337

LYSANDER

Now she holds me not.

Now follow, if thou dar’st, to try whose right, 338

Of thine or mine, is most in Helena. 339

DEMETRIUS

“Follow”? Nay, I’ll go with thee, cheek by jowl. 340

(⸢Demetrius and Lysander exit.⸣)

HERMIA

You, mistress, all this coil is long of you. 341

(⸢Helena retreats.⸣)

Nay, go not back. 342

HELENA

I will not trust you, I,

Nor longer stay in your curst company. 343

Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray. 344

My legs are longer though, to run away. 345

(⸢She exits.⸣)

HERMIA

I am amazed and know not what to say. 346

(⸢She exits.⸣)

OBERON

⸢to Robin⸣ This is thy negligence. Still thou mistak’st, 347

Or else committ’st thy knaveries willfully. 348

ROBIN

Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook. 349

Did not you tell me I should know the man 350

By the Athenian garments he had on? 351

And so far blameless proves my enterprise 352

That I have ’nointed an Athenian’s eyes; 353

And so far am I glad it so did sort, 354

As this their jangling I esteem a sport. 355

OBERON

Thou seest these lovers seek a place to fight. 356

Hie, therefore, Robin, overcast the night; 357

The starry welkin cover thou anon 358

With drooping fog as black as Acheron, 359

And lead these testy rivals so astray 360

As one come not within another’s way. 361

Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue; 362

Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong. 363

And sometime rail thou like Demetrius. 364

And from each other look thou lead them thus, 365

Till o’er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep 366

With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep. 367

Then crush this herb into Lysander’s eye, 368

(⸢He gives a flower to Robin.⸣)

Whose liquor hath this virtuous property, 369

To take from thence all error with his might 370

And make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight. 371

When they next wake, all this derision 372

Shall seem a dream and fruitless vision. 373

And back to Athens shall the lovers wend, 374

With league whose date till death shall never end. 375

Whiles I in this affair do thee employ, 376

I’ll to my queen and beg her Indian boy; 377

And then I will her charmèd eye release 378

From monster’s view, and all things shall be peace. 379

ROBIN

My Fairy lord, this must be done with haste, 380

For night’s swift dragons cut the clouds full fast, 381

And yonder shines Aurora’s harbinger, 382

At whose approach, ghosts wand’ring here and there 383

Troop home to churchyards. Damnèd spirits all, 384

That in crossways and floods have burial, 385

Already to their wormy beds are gone. 386

For fear lest day should look their shames upon, 387

They willfully themselves exile from light 388

And must for aye consort with black-browed night. 389

OBERON

But we are spirits of another sort. 390

I with the Morning’s love have oft made sport 391

And, like a forester, the groves may tread 392

Even till the eastern gate, all fiery red, 393

Opening on Neptune with fair blessèd beams, 394

Turns into yellow gold his salt-green streams. 395

But notwithstanding, haste! Make no delay. 396

We may effect this business yet ere day. 397

(⸢He exits.⸣)

ROBIN

Up and down, up and down, 398

I will lead them up and down. 399

I am feared in field and town. 400

Goblin, lead them up and down. 401

Here comes one. 402

(Enter Lysander.)

LYSANDER

Where art thou, proud Demetrius? Speak thou now. 403

ROBIN

⸢in Demetrius’ voice⸣ Here, villain, drawn and ready. Where art thou? 404

LYSANDER

I will be with thee straight. 405

ROBIN

⸢in Demetrius’ voice⸣ Follow me, then, to plainer ground. 406

(⸢Lysander exits.⸣)

(Enter Demetrius.)

DEMETRIUS

Lysander, speak again. 407

Thou run away, thou coward, art thou fled? 408

Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head? 409

ROBIN

⸢in Lysander’s voice⸣ Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars, 410

Telling the bushes that thou look’st for wars, 411

And wilt not come? Come, recreant! Come, thou child! 412

I’ll whip thee with a rod. He is defiled 413

That draws a sword on thee. 414

DEMETRIUS

Yea, art thou there?

ROBIN

⸢in Lysander’s voice⸣ Follow my voice. We’ll try no manhood here. 415

(⸢They exit.⸣)

(⸢Enter Lysander.⸣)

LYSANDER

He goes before me and still dares me on. 416

When I come where he calls, then he is gone. 417

The villain is much lighter-heeled than I. 418

I followed fast, but faster he did fly, 419

That f ALL en am I in dark uneven way, 420

And here will rest me. Come, thou gentle day, 421

For if but once thou show me thy gray light, 422

I’ll find Demetrius and revenge this spite. 423

(⸢He lies down and sleeps.⸣)

(⸢Enter⸣ Robin and Demetrius.)

ROBIN

⸢in Lysander’s voice⸣ Ho, ho, ho! Coward, why com’st thou not? 424

DEMETRIUS

Abide me, if thou dar’st, for well I wot 425

Thou runn’st before me, shifting every place, 426

And dar’st not stand nor look me in the face. 427

Where art thou now? 428

ROBIN

⸢in Lysander’s voice⸣ Come hither. I am here.

DEMETRIUS

Nay, then, thou mock’st me. Thou shalt buy this dear 429

If ever I thy face by daylight see. 430

Now go thy way. Faintness constraineth me 431

To measure out my length on this cold bed. 432

By day’s approach look to be visited. 433

(⸢He lies down and sleeps.⸣)

(Enter Helena.)

HELENA

O weary night, O long and tedious night, 434

Abate thy hours! Shine, comforts, from the east, 435

That I may back to Athens by daylight 436

From these that my poor company detest. 437

And sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow’s eye, 438

Steal me awhile from mine own company. 439

(⸢She lies down and⸣sleeps.)

ROBIN

Yet but three? Come one more. 440

Two of both kinds makes up four. 441

Here she comes, curst and sad. 442

Cupid is a knavish lad 443

Thus to make poor females mad. 444

(⸢Enter Hermia.⸣)

HERMIA

Never so weary, never so in woe, 445

Bedabbled with the dew and torn with briers, 446

I can no further crawl, no further go. 447

My legs can keep no pace with my desires. 448

Here will I rest me till the break of day. 449

Heavens shield Lysander if they mean a fray! 450

(⸢She lies down and sleeps.⸣)

ROBIN

On the ground 451

Sleep sound. 452

I’ll apply 453

⸢To⸣ your eye, 454

Gentle lover, remedy. 455

⸢Robin applies the nectar to Lysander’s eyes.⸣ When thou wak’st, 456

Thou tak’st 457

True delight 458

In the sight 459

Of thy former lady’s eye. 460

And the country proverb known, 461

That every man should take his own, 462

In your waking shall be shown. 463

Jack shall have Jill; 464

Naught shall go ill; 465

The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well 466

(⸢He exits.⸣)

⸢ACT 4⸣

⸢Scene 1⸣

(⸢With the four lovers still asleep onstage,⸣ enter ⸢Titania,⸣ Queen of Fairies, and ⸢Bottom⸣ and Fairies, and ⸢Oberon,⸣ the King, behind them ⸢unseen by those onstage.⸣)

TITANIA

Come, sit thee down upon this flow’ry bed, 1

While I thy amiable cheeks do coy, 2

And stick muskroses in thy sleek smooth head, 3

And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy. 4

BOTTOM

Where’s Peaseblossom?

PEASEBLOSSOM

Ready.

BOTTOM

Scratch my head, Peaseblossom. Where’s Monsieur Cobweb?

COBWEB

Ready.

BOTTOM

Monsieur Cobweb, good monsieur, get you your weapons in your hand and kill me a red-hipped humble-bee on the top of a thistle, and, good monsieur, bring me the honey-bag. Do not fret yourself too much in the action, monsieur, and, good monsieur, have a care the honey-bag break not; I would be loath to have you overflown with a honey-bag, signior. ⸢Cobweb exits.⸣ Where’s Monsieur Mustardseed?

MUSTARDSEED

Ready.

BOTTOM

Give me your neaf, Monsieur Mustardseed. Pray you, leave your courtesy, good monsieur.

MUSTARDSEED

What’s your will?

BOTTOM

Nothing, good monsieur, but to help Cavalery Cobweb to scratch. I must to the barber’s, monsieur, for methinks I am marvels hairy about the face. And I am such a tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratch.

TITANIA

What, wilt thou hear some music, my sweet love? 27

BOTTOM

I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let’s have the tongs and the bones.

TITANIA

Or say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat. 30

BOTTOM

Truly, a peck of provender. I could munch your good dry oats. Methinks I have a great desire to a bottle of hay. Good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow.

TITANIA

I have a venturous Fairy that shall seek 34

The squirrel’s hoard and fetch thee new nuts. 35

BOTTOM

I had rather have a handful or two of dried peas. But, I pray you, let none of your people stir me; I have an exposition of sleep come upon me.

TITANIA

Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms.— 39

Fairies, begone, and be all ways away. 40

(⸢Fairies exit.⸣)

So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle 41

Gently entwist; the female ivy so 42

Enrings the barky fingers of the elm. 43

O, how I love thee! How I dote on thee! 44

(⸢Bottom and Titania sleep.⸣)

(Enter Robin Goodfellow.)

OBERON

Welcome, good Robin. Seest thou this sweet sight? 45

Her dotage now I do begin to pity. 46

For, meeting her of late behind the wood, 47

Seeking sweet favors for this hateful fool, 48

I did upbraid her and fall out with her. 49

For she his hairy temples then had rounded 50

With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers; 51

And that same dew, which sometime on the buds 52

Was wont to swell like round and orient pearls, 53

Stood now within the pretty flouriets’ eyes, 54

Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail. 55

When I had at my pleasure taunted her, 56

And she in mild terms begged my patience, 57

I then did ask of her her changeling child, 58

Which straight she gave me, and her Fairy sent 59

To bear him to my bower in Fairyland. 60

And now I have the boy, I will undo 61

This hateful imperfection of her eyes. 62

And, gentle Puck, take this transformèd scalp 63

From off the head of this Athenian swain, 64

That he, awaking when the other do, 65

May all to Athens back again repair 66

And think no more of this night’s accidents 67

But as the fierce vexation of a dream. 68

But first I will release the Fairy Queen. 69

(⸢He applies the nectar to her eyes.⸣)

Be as thou wast wont to be. 70

See as thou wast wont to see. 71

Dian’s bud o’er Cupid’s flower 72

Hath such force and blessèd power. 73

Now, my Titania, wake you, my sweet queen. 74

TITANIA

⸢waking⸣ My Oberon, what visions have I seen! 75

Methought I was enamored of an ass. 76

OBERON

There lies your love. 77

TITANIA

How came these things to pass?

O, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now! 78

OBERON

Silence awhile.—Robin, take off this head.— 79

Titania, music call; and strike more dead 80

Than common sleep of all these five the sense. 81

TITANIA

Music, ho, music such as charmeth sleep! 82

ROBIN

⸢removing the ass-head from Bottom⸣ Now, when thou wak’st, with thine own fool’s eyes peep. 83

OBERON

Sound music. 84

(⸢Music.⸣)

Come, my queen, take hands with me,

And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be. 85

(⸢Titania and Oberon dance.⸣)

Now thou and I are new in amity, 86

And will tomorrow midnight solemnly 87

Dance in Duke Theseus’ house triumphantly, 88

And bless it to all fair prosperity. 89

There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be 90

Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity. 91

ROBIN

Fairy king, attend and mark. 92

I do hear the morning lark. 93

OBERON

Then, my queen, in silence sad 94

Trip we after night’s shade. 95

We the globe can compass soon, 96

Swifter than the wand’ring moon. 97

TITANIA

Come, my lord, and in our flight 98

Tell me how it came this night 99

That I sleeping here was found 100

With these mortals on the ground. 101

(⸢Oberon, Robin, and Titania exit.⸣)

(Wind horn. Enter Theseus and all his train, ⸢Hippolita, Egeus.⸣)

THESEUS

Go, one of you, find out the Forester. 102

For now our observation is performed, 103

And, since we have the vaward of the day, 104

My love shall hear the music of my hounds. 105

Uncouple in the western valley; let them go. 106

Dispatch, I say, and find the Forester. 107

(⸢A Servant exits.⸣)

We will, fair queen, up to the mountain’s top 108

And mark the musical confusion 109

Of hounds and echo in conjunction. 110

HIPPOLYTA

I was with Hercules and Cadmus once, 111

When in a wood of Crete they bayed the bear 112

With hounds of Sparta. Never did I hear 113

Such gallant chiding, for, besides the groves, 114

The skies, the fountains, every region near 115

Seemed all one mutual cry. I never heard 116

So musical a discord, such sweet thunder. 117

THESEUS

My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind, 118

So flewed, so sanded; and their heads are hung 119

With ears that sweep away the morning dew; 120

Crook-kneed, and dewlapped like Thessalian bulls; 121

Slow in pursuit, but matched in mouth like bells, 122

Each under each. A cry more tunable 123

Was never holloed to, nor cheered with horn, 124

In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly. 125

Judge when you hear.—But soft! What nymphs are these? 126

EGEUS

My lord, this⸢is⸣my daughter here asleep, 127

And this Lysander; this Demetrius is, 128

This Helena, old Nedar’s Helena. 129

I wonder of their being here together. 130

THESEUS

No doubt they rose up early to observe 131

The rite of May, and hearing our intent, 132

Came here in grace of our solemnity. 133

But speak, Egeus. Is not this the day 134

That Hermia should give answer of her choice? 135

EGEUS

It is, my lord. 136

THESEUS

Go, bid the huntsmen wake them with their horns. 137

(⸢A Servant exits⸣.)

(Shout within. Wind horns. They all start up.)

THESEUS

Good morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is past. 138

Begin these woodbirds but to couple now? 139

(⸢Demerius, Helena, Hermia, and Lysander kneel.⸣)

LYSANDER

Pardon, my lord. 140

THESEUS

I pray you all , stand up.

(⸢They rise.⸣)

I know you two are rival enemies. 141

How comes this gentle concord in the world, 142

That hatred is so far from jealousy 143

To sleep by hate and fear no enmity? 144

LYSANDER

My lord, I shall reply amazèdly, 145

Half sleep, half waking. But as yet, I swear, 146

I cannot truly say how I came here. 147

But, as I think—for truly would I speak, 148

And now I do bethink me, so it is: 149

I came with Hermia hither. Our intent 150

Was to be gone from Athens, where we might, 151

Without the peril of the Athenian law— 152

EGEUS

Enough, enough!—My lord, you have enough. 153

I beg the law, the law upon his head. 154

They would have stol’n away.—They would, Demetrius, 155

Thereby to have defeated you and me: 156

You of your wife and me of my consent, 157

Of my consent that she should be your wife. 158

DEMETRIUS

My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth, 159

Of this their purpose hither to this wood, 160

And I in fury hither followed them, 161

Fair Helena in fancy following me. 162

But, my good lord, I wot not by what power 163

(But by some power it is) my love to Hermia, 164

Melted as the snow, seems to me now 165

As the remembrance of an idle gaud 166

Which in my childhood I did dote upon, 167

And all the faith, the virtue of my heart, 168

The object and the pleasure of mine eye, 169

Is only Helena. To her, my lord, 170

Was I betrothed ere I ⸢saw⸣Hermia. 171

But like a sickness did I loathe this food. 172

But, as in health, come to my natural taste, 173

Now I do wish it, love it, long for it, 174

And will forevermore be true to it. 175

THESEUS

Fair lovers, you are fortunately met. 176

Of this discourse we more will hear anon.— 177

Egeus, I will overbear your will, 178

For in the temple by and by, with us, 179

These couples shall eternally be knit.— 180

And, for the morning now is something worn, 181

Our purposed hunting shall be set aside. 182

Away with us to Athens. Three and three, 183

We’ll hold a feast in great solemnity. 184

Come, Hippolyta. 185

(⸢Theseus and his train, including Hippolyta and Egeus, exit.⸣)

DEMETRIUS

These things seem small and undistinguishable, 186

Like far-off mountains turnèd into clouds. 187

HERMIA

Methinks I see these things with parted eye, 188

When everything seems double. 189

HELENA

So methinks.

And I have found Demetrius like a jewel, 190

Mine own and not mine own. 191

DEMETRIUS

Are you sure

That we are awake? It seems to me 192

That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think 193

The Duke was here and bid us follow him? 194

HERMIA

Yea, and my father. 195

HELENA

And Hippolyta.

LYSANDER

And he did bid us follow to the temple. 196

DEMETRIUS

Why, then, we are awake. Let’s follow him, 197

And by the way let ⸢us⸣ recount our dreams. 198

(⸢Lovers exit.⸣)

BOTTOM

⸢waking up⸣ When my cue comes, call me, and I will answer. My next is “Most fair Pyramus.” Hey-ho! Peter Quince! Flute the bellows-mender! Snout the tinker! Starveling! God’s my life! Stolen hence and left me asleep! I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream past the wit of man to say what dream it was. Man is but an ass if he go about ⸢to⸣ expound this dream. Methought I was—there is no man can tell what. Methought I was and methought I had—but man is but ⸢a patched⸣ fool if he will offer to say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report what my dream was. I will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of this dream. It shall be called “Bottom’s Dream” because it hath no Bottom; and I will sing it in the latter end of a play, before the Duke. Peradventure, to make it the more gracious, I shall sing it at her death.

(⸢He exits.⸣)

⸢Scene 2⸣

(Enter Quince, Flute, ⸢Snout, and Starveling.⸣)

QUINCE

Have you sent to Bottom’s house? Is he come home yet?

⸢STARVELING⸣

He cannot be heard of. Out of doubt he is transported.

FLUTE

If he come not, then the play is marred. It goes not forward, doth it?

QUINCE

It is not possible. You have not a man in all Athens able to discharge Pyramus but he.

FLUTE

No, he hath simply the best wit of any handicraftman in Athens.

QUINCE

Yea, and the best person too, and he is a very paramour for a sweet voice.

FLUTE

You must say “paragon.” A “paramour” is (God bless us) a thing of naught.

(Enter Snug the joiner.)

SNUG

Masters, the Duke is coming from the temple, and there is two or three lords and ladies more married. If our sport had gone forward, we had all been made men.

FLUTE

O, sweet bully Bottom! Thus hath he lost sixpence a day during his life. He could not have ’scaped sixpence a day. An the Duke had not given him sixpence a day for playing Pyramus, I’ll be hanged. He would have deserved it. Sixpence a day in Pyramus, or nothing!

(Enter Bottom.)

BOTTOM

Where are these lads? Where are these hearts?

QUINCE!

Bottom! O most courageous day! O most happy hour!

BOTTOM

Masters, I am to discourse wonders. But ask me not what; for, if I tell you, I am not true Athenian. I will tell you everything right as it fell out.

QUINCE

Let us hear, sweet Bottom.

BOTTOM

Not a word of me. All that I will tell you is that the Duke hath dined. Get your apparel together, good strings to your beards, new ribbons to your pumps. Meet presently at the palace. Every man look o’er his part. For the short and the long is, our play is preferred. In any case, let Thisbe have clean linen, and let not him that plays the lion pare his nails, for they shall hang out for the lion’s claws. And, most dear actors, eat no onions nor garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath, and I do not doubt but to hear them say it is a sweet comedy. No more words. Away! Go, away!

(⸢They exit.⸣)

⸢ACT 5⸣

⸢Scene 1⸣

(Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, and Philostrate, ⸢Lords, and Attendants.⸣)

HIPPOLYTA

’Tis strange, my Theseus, that these lovers speak of. 1

THESEUS

More strange than true. I never may believe 2

These antique fables nor these Fairy toys. 3

Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, 4

Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend 5

More than cool reason ever comprehends. 6

The lunatic, the lover, and the poet 7

Are of imagination all compact. 8

One sees more devils than vast hell can hold: 9

That is the madman. The lover, all as frantic, 10

Sees Helen’s beauty in a brow of Egypt. 11

The poet’s eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, 12

Doth glance from heaven to Earth, from Earth to heaven, 13

And as imagination bodies forth 14

The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen 15

Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing 16

A local habitation and a name. 17

Such tricks hath strong imagination 18

That, if it would but apprehend some joy, 19

It comprehends some bringer of that joy. 20

Or in the night, imagining some fear, 21

How easy is a bush supposed a bear! 22

HIPPOLYTA

But all the story of the night told over, 23

And all their minds transfigured so together, 24

More witnesseth than fancy’s images 25

And grows to something of great constancy, 26

But, howsoever, strange and admirable. 27

(Enter Lovers: LysanderDemetrius, Hermia, and Helena.)

THESEUS

Here come the lovers full of joy and mirth.— 28

Joy, gentle friends! Joy and fresh days of love 29

Accompany your hearts! 30

LYSANDER

More than to us

Wait in your royal walks, your board, your bed! 31

THESEUS

Come now, what masques, what dances shall we have 32

To wear away this long age of three hours 33

Between our after-supper and bedtime? 34

Where is ⸢our⸣ usual manager of mirth? 35

What revels are in hand? Is there no play 36

To ease the anguish of a torturing hour? 37

Call Philostrate. 38

PHILOSTRATE

⸢coming forward⸣ Here, mighty Theseus

THESEUS

Say what abridgment have you for this evening, 39

What masque, what music? How shall we beguile 40

The lazy time if not with some delight? 41

PHILOSTRATE

⸢giving Theseus a paper⸣ There is a brief how many sports are ripe. 42

Make choice of which your Highness will see first. 43

THESEUS

“The battle with the Centaurs, to be sung 44

By an Athenian eunuch to the harp.” 45

We’ll none of that. That have I told my love 46

In glory of my kinsman Hercules. 47

“The riot of the tipsy Bacchanals, 48

Tearing the Thracian singer in their rage.” 49

That is an old device, and it was played 50

When I from Thebes came last a conqueror. 51

“The thrice-three Muses mourning for the death 52

Of learning, late deceased in beggary.” 53

That is some satire, keen and critical, 54

Not sorting with a nuptial ceremony. 55

“A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus 56

And his love Thisbe, very tragical mirth.” 57

“Merry” and “tragical”? “Tedious” and “brief”? 58

That is hot ice and wondrous strange snow! 59

How shall we find the concord of this discord? 60

PHILOSTRATE

A play there is, my lord, some ten words long 61

(Which is as brief as I have known a play), 62

But by ten words, my lord, it is too long, 63

Which makes it tedious; for in all the play, 64

There is not one word apt, one player fitted. 65

And tragical, my noble lord, it is. 66

For Pyramus therein doth kill himself, 67

Which, when I saw rehearsed, I must confess, 68

Made mine eyes water; but more merry tears 69

The passion of loud laughter never shed. 70

THESEUS

What are they that do play it? 71

PHILOSTRATE

Hard-handed men that work in Athens here, 72

Which never labored in their minds till now, 73

And now have toiled their unbreathed memories 74

With this same play, against your nuptial. 75

THESEUS

And we will hear it. 76

PHILOSTRATE

No, my noble lord,

It is not for you. I have heard it over, 77

And it is nothing, nothing in the world, 78

Unless you can find sport in their intents, 79

Extremely stretched and conned with cruel pain 80

To do you service. 81

THESEUS

I will hear that play,

For never anything can be amiss 82

When simpleness and duty tender it. 83

Go, bring them in—and take your places, ladies. 84

(⸢Philostrate exits⸣.)

HIPPOLYTA

I love not to see wretchedness o’ercharged, 85

And duty in his service perishing. 86

THESEUS

Why, gentle sweet, you shall see no such thing. 87

HIPPOLYTA

He says they can do nothing in this kind. 88

THESEUS

The kinder we, to give them thanks for nothing. 89

Our sport shall be to take what they mistake; 90

And what poor duty cannot do, noble respect 91

Takes it in might, not merit. 92

Where I have come, great clerks have purposèd 93

To greet me with premeditated welcomes, 94

Where I have seen them shiver and look pale, 95

Make periods in the midst of sentences, 96

Throttle their practiced accent in their fears, 97

And in conclusion dumbly have broke off, 98

Not paying me a welcome. Trust me, sweet, 99

Out of this silence yet I picked a welcome, 100

And in the modesty of fearful duty, 101

I read as much as from the rattling tongue 102

Of saucy and audacious eloquence. 103

Love, therefore, and tongue-tied simplicity 104

In least speak most, to my capacity. 105

(⸢Enter Philostrate.⸣)

PHILOSTRATE

So please your Grace, the Prologue is addressed. 106

THESEUS

Let him approach. 107

(Enter the Prologue.)

PROLOGUE

If we offend, it is with our goodwill. 108

That you should think we come not to offend, 109

To show our simple skill, 110

That is the true beginning of our end. 111

Consider, then, we come but in despite. 112

We do not come, as minding to content you, 113

Our true intent is. All for your delight 114

We are not here. That you should here repent you, 115

The actors are at hand, and, by their show, 116

You shall know all that you are like to know. 117

(⸢Prologue exits.⸣)

THESEUS

This fellow doth not stand upon points.

LYSANDER

He hath rid his prologue like a rough colt; he knows not the stop. A good moral, my lord: it is not enough to speak, but to speak true.

HIPPOLYTA

Indeed he hath played on this prologue like a child on a recorder—a sound, but not in government.

THESEUS

His speech was like a tangled chain—nothing impaired, but all disordered. Who is next?

(Enter Pyramus ⸢(Bottom),⸣ and Thisbe ⸢(Flute),⸣ and Wall ⸢(Snout),⸣ and Moonshine ⸢(Starveling),⸣ and Lion ⸢(Snug),⸣ and Prologue ⸢(Quince)⸣.)

QUINCE

(as Prologue) Gentles, perchance you wonder at this show. 126

But wonder on, till truth make all things plain. 127

This man is Pyramus, if you would know. 128

This beauteous lady Thisbe is certain. 129

This man with lime and roughcast doth present 130

“Wall,” that vile wall which did these lovers sunder; 131

And through Wall’s chink, poor souls, they are content 132

To whisper, at the which let no man wonder. 133

This man, with lantern, dog, and bush of thorn, 134

Presenteth “Moonshine,” for, if you will know, 135

By moonshine did these lovers think no scorn 136

To meet at Ninus’ tomb, there, there to woo. 137

This grisly beast (which “Lion” hight by name) 138

The trusty Thisbe coming first by night 139

Did ⸢scare⸣away or rather did affright; 140

And, as she fled, her mantle she did fall, 141

Which Lion vile with bloody mouth did stain. 142

Anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth and tall, 143

And finds his trusty Thisbe’s mantle slain. 144

Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade, 145

He bravely broached his boiling bloody breast. 146

And Thisbe, tarrying in mulberry shade, 147

His dagger drew, and died. For all the rest, 148

Let Lion, Moonshine, Wall , and lovers twain 149

At large discourse, while here they do remain. 150

THESEUS

I wonder if the lion be to speak.

DEMETRIUS

No wonder, my lord. One lion may when many asses do.

(Lion, Thisbe, Moonshine, ⸢and Prologue⸣ exit.)

SNOUT

(as Wall) In this same interlude it doth befall 153

That I, one ⸢Snout⸣ by name, present a wall ; 154

And such a wall as I would have you think 155

That had in it a crannied hole or chink, 156

Through which the lovers, Pyramus and Thisbe, 157

Did whisper often, very secretly. 158

This loam, this roughcast, and this stone doth show 159

That I am that same wall . The truth is so. 160

And this the cranny is, right and sinister, 161

Through which the fearful lovers are to whisper. 162

THESEUS

Would you desire lime and hair to speak better?

DEMETRIUS

It is the wittiest partition that ever I heard discourse, my lord.

THESEUS

Pyramus draws near the wall . Silence.

BOTTOM

(as Pyramus) O grim-looked night! O night with hue so black! 166

O night, which ever art when day is not! 167

O night! O night! Alack, alack, alack! 168

I fear my Thisbe’s promise is forgot. 169

And thou, O wall , O sweet, O lovely wall , 170

That stand’st between her father’s ground and mine, 171

Thou wall , O wall , O sweet and lovely wall, 172

Show me thy chink to blink through with mine eyne. 173

Thanks, courteous wall . Jove shield thee well for this. 174

But what see I? No Thisbe do I see. 175

O wicked wall , through whom I see no bliss, 176

Cursed be thy stones for thus deceiving me! 177

THESEUS

The wall , methinks, being sensible, should curse again.

BOTTOM

No, in truth, sir, he should not. “Deceiving me” is Thisbe’s cue. She is to enter now, and I am to spy her through the wall . You shall see it will fall pat as I told you. Yonder she comes.

(Enter Thisbe ⸢(Flute).⸣)

FLUTE

(as Thisbe) O wall , full often hast thou heard my moans 183

For parting my fair Pyramus and me. 184

My cherry lips have often kissed thy stones, 185

Thy stones with lime and hair knit up in thee. 186

BOTTOM

(as Pyramus) I see a voice! Now will I to the chink 187

To spy an I can hear my Thisbe’s face. 188

Thisbe? 189

FLUTE

(as Thisbe) My love! Thou art my love, I think.

BOTTOM

(as Pyramus) Think what thou wilt, I am thy lover’s grace, 190

And, like Limander, am I trusty still. 191

FLUTE

(as Thisbe) And I like Helen, till the Fates me kill. 192

BOTTOM

(as Pyramus) Not Shafalus to Procrus was so true. 193

FLUTE

(as Thisbe) As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you. 194

BOTTOM

(as Pyramus) O kiss me through the hole of this vile wall. 195

FLUTE

(as Thisbe) I kiss the wall ’s hole, not your lips at all . 196

BOTTOM

(as Pyramus) Wilt thou at Ninny’s tomb meet me straightway? 197

FLUTE

(as Thisbe) ’Tide life, ’tide death, I come without delay. 198

(⸢Bottom and Flute exit.⸣)

SNOUT

(as Wall) Thus have I, Wall , my part dischargèd so, 199

And, being done, thus Wall away doth go. 200

(⸢He exits.⸣)

THESEUS

Now is the ⸢wall down⸣ between the two neighbors.

DEMETRIUS

No remedy, my lord, when walls are so willful to hear without warning.

HIPPOLYTA

This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard.

THESEUS

The best in this kind are but shadows, and the worst are no worse, if imagination amend them.

HIPPOLYTA

It must be your imagination, then, and not theirs.

THESEUS

If we imagine no worse of them than they of themselves, they may pass for excellent men. Here come two noble beasts in, a man and a lion.

(Enter Lion ⸢(Snug)⸣ and Moonshine ⸢(Starveling)⸣.)

SNUG

⸢as Lion⸣ You ladies, you whose gentle hearts do fear 211

The smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor, 212

May now perchance both quake and tremble here, 213

When lion rough in wildest rage doth roar. 214

Then know that I, as Snug the joiner, am 215

A lion fell, nor else no lion’s dam; 216

For if I should as lion come in strife 217

Into this place, ’twere pity on my life. 218

THESEUS

A very gentle beast, and of a good conscience.

DEMETRIUS

The very best at a beast, my lord, that e’er I saw.

LYSANDER

This lion is a very fox for his valor.

THESEUS

True, and a goose for his discretion.

DEMETRIUS

Not so, my lord, for his valor cannot carry his discretion, and the fox carries the goose.

THESEUS

His discretion, I am sure, cannot carry his valor, for the goose carries not the fox. It is well. Leave it to his discretion, and let us listen to the Moon.

STARVELING

(as Moonshine) This lanthorn doth the hornèd moon present.

DEMETRIUS

He should have worn the horns on his head.

THESEUS

He is no crescent, and his horns are invisible within the circumference.

STARVELING

(as Moonshine) This lanthorn doth the hornèd moon present. Myself the man i’ th’ moon do seem to be.

THESEUS

This is the greatest error of all the rest; the man should be put into the lanthorn. How is it else “the man i’ th’ moon”?

DEMETRIUS

He dares not come there for the candle, for you see, it is already in snuff.

HIPPOLYTA

I am aweary of this moon. Would he would change.

THESEUS

It appears by his small light of discretion that he is in the wane; but yet, in courtesy, in all reason, we must stay the time.

LYSANDER

Proceed, Moon.

STARVELING

(as Moonshine) All that I have to say is to tell you that the lanthorn is the moon, I the man i’ th’ moon, this thornbush my thornbush, and this dog my dog.

DEMETRIUS

Why, all these should be in the lanthorn, for all these are in the moon. But silence. Here comes Thisbe.

(Enter Thisbe ⸢(Flute).⸣)

FLUTE

(as Thisbe) This is old Ninny’s tomb. Where is my love? 248

SNUG

(as Lion) O!

(⸢The Lion roars. Thisbe runs off, dropping her mantle.⸣)

DEMETRIUS

Well roared, Lion.

THESEUS

Well run, Thisbe.

HIPPOLYTA

Well shone, Moon. Truly, the Moon shines with a good grace.

(⸢Lion worries the mantle.⸣)

THESEUS

Well moused, Lion.

(Enter Pyramus ⸢(Bottom).⸣)

DEMETRIUS

And then came Pyramus.

(⸢Lion exits.⸣)

LYSANDER

And so the lion vanished.

BOTTOM

(as Pyramus) Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beams. 256

I thank thee, Moon, for shining now so bright, 257

For by thy gracious, golden, glittering ⸢gleams,⸣ 258

I trust to take of truest Thisbe sight.— 259

But stay! O spite! 260

But mark, poor knight, 261

What dreadful dole is here! 262

Eyes, do you see! 263

How can it be! 264

O dainty duck! O dear! 265

Thy mantle good— 266

What, stained with blood? 267

Approach, ye Furies fell! 268

O Fates, come, come, 269

Cut thread and thrum, 270

Quail, crush, conclude, and quell! 271

THESEUS

This passion, and the death of a dear friend, 272

would go near to make a man look sad. 273

HIPPOLYTA

Beshrew my heart but I pity the man. 274

BOTTOM

(as Pyramus) O, wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions frame, 275

Since lion vile hath here deflowered my dear, 276

Which is—no, no—which was the fairest dame 277

That lived, that loved, that liked, that looked with cheer? 278

Come, tears, confound! 279

Out, sword, and wound 280

The pap of Pyramus; 281

Ay, that left pap, 282

Where heart doth hop. 283

(⸢Pyramus stabs himself.⸣)

Thus die I, thus, thus, thus. 284

Now am I dead; 285

Now am I fled; 286

My soul is in the sky. 287

Tongue, lose thy light! 288

Moon, take thy flight! 289

(⸢Moonshine exits.⸣)

Now die, die, die, die, die. 290

(⸢Pyramus falls.⸣)

DEMETRIUS

No die, but an ace for him, for he is but one.

LYSANDER

Less than an ace, man, for he is dead, he is nothing.

THESEUS

With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover and yet prove an ass.

HIPPOLYTA

How chance Moonshine is gone before Thisbe comes back and finds her lover?

THESEUS

She will find him by starlight. ⸢Enter Thisbe (Flute).⸣ Here she comes, and her passion ends the play.

HIPPOLYTA

Methinks she should not use a long one for such a Pyramus. I hope she will be brief.

DEMETRIUS

A mote will turn the balance, which Pyramus, which Thisbe, is the better: he for a man, God warrant us; she for a woman, God bless us.

LYSANDER

She hath spied him already with those sweet eyes.

DEMETRIUS

And thus she means, videlicet —

FLUTE

(as Thisbe) Asleep, my love? 306

What, dead, my dove? 307

O Pyramus, arise! 308

Speak, speak. Quite dumb? 309

Dead? Dead? A tomb 310

Must cover thy sweet eyes. 311

These lily lips, 312

This cherry nose, 313

These yellow cowslip cheeks 314

Are gone, are gone! 315

Lovers, make moan; 316

His eyes were green as leeks. 317

O Sisters Three, 318

Come, come to me 319

With hands as pale as milk. 320

Lay them in gore, 321

Since you have shore 322

With shears his thread of silk. 323

Tongue, not a word! 324

Come, trusty sword, 325

Come, blade, my breast imbrue! 326

(⸢Thisbe stabs herself.⸣)

And farewell, friends. 327

Thus Thisbe ends. 328

Adieu, adieu, adieu. 329

(⸢Thisbe falls.⸣)

THESEUS

Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead.

DEMETRIUS

Ay, and Wall too.

(⸢Bottom and Flute arise.⸣)

BOTTOM

No, I assure you, the wall is down that parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the Epilogue or to hear a Bergomask dance between two of our company?

THESEUS

No epilogue, I pray you. For your play needs no excuse. Never excuse. For when the players are all dead, there need none to be blamed. Marry, if he that writ it had played Pyramus and hanged himself in Thisbe’s garter, it would have been a fine tragedy; and so it is, truly, and very notably discharged. But, come, your Bergomask. Let your epilogue alone.

(⸢Dance, and the players exit.⸣)

The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve. 344

Lovers, to bed! ’Tis almost Fairy time. 345

I fear we shall outsleep the coming morn 346

As much as we this night have overwatched. 347

This palpable-gross play hath well beguiled 348

The heavy gait of night. Sweet friends, to bed. 349

A fortnight hold we this solemnity 350

In nightly revels and new jollity. 351

(They exit.)

(Enter ⸢Robin Goodfellow.⸣)

ROBIN

Now the hungry ⸢lion⸣ roars, 352

And the wolf ⸢behowls⸣ the moon, 353

Whilst the heavy plowman snores, 354

All with weary task fordone. 355

Now the wasted brands do glow, 356

Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud, 357

Puts the wretch that lies in woe 358

In remembrance of a shroud. 359

Now it is the time of night 360

That the graves, all gaping wide, 361

Every one lets forth his sprite 362

In the church-way paths to glide. 363

And we fairies, that do run 364

By the triple Hecate’s team 365

From the presence of the sun, 366

Following darkness like a dream, 367

Now are frolic. Not a mouse 368

Shall disturb this hall owed house. 369

I am sent with broom before, 370

To sweep the dust behind the door. 371

(Enter ⸢Oberon and Titania,⸣ King and Queen of Fairies, with all their train.)

OBERON

Through the house give glimmering light, 372

By the dead and drowsy fire. 373

Every elf and Fairy sprite, 374

Hop as light as bird from brier, 375

And this ditty after me, 376

Sing and dance it trippingly. 377

TITANIA

First rehearse your song by rote, 378

To each word a warbling note. 379

Hand in hand, with Fairy grace, 380

Will we sing and bless this place. 381

(⸢Oberon leads the Fairies in song and dance.⸣)

OBERON

Now, until the break of day, 382

Through this house each Fairy stray. 383

To the best bride-bed will we, 384

Which by us shall blessèd be, 385

And the issue there create 386

Ever shall be fortunate. 387

So shall all the couples three 388

Ever true in loving be, 389

And the blots of Nature’s hand 390

Shall not in their issue stand. 391

Never mole, harelip, nor scar, 392

Nor mark prodigious, such as are 393

Despisèd in nativity, 394

Shall upon their children be. 395

With this field-dew consecrate 396

Every Fairy take his gait, 397

And each several chamber bless, 398

Through this palace, with sweet peace. 399

And the owner of it blest, 400

Ever shall in safety rest. 401

Trip away. Make no stay. 402

Meet me all by break of day. 403

(⸢All but Robin⸣ exit.)

ROBIN

If we shadows have offended, 404

Think but this and all is mended: 405

That you have but slumbered here 406

While these visions did appear. 407

And this weak and idle theme, 408

No more yielding but a dream, 409

Gentles, do not reprehend. 410

If you pardon, we will mend. 411

And, as I am an honest Puck, 412

If we have unearnèd luck 413

Now to ’scape the serpent’s tongue, 414

We will make amends ere long. 415

Else the Puck a liar call. 416

So good night unto you all . 417

Give me your hands, if we be friends, 418

And Robin shall restore amends. 419

(⸢He exits.⸣)